Strictly Business
by killiansbuttercup
Summary: CS AU. Killian is a wealthy businessman who works on Wall Street and Emma is a Bail Bondswoman on an important case.
1. Chapter 1

Strictly Business

_CS AU. Killian is a wealthy businessman who works on Wall Street and Emma is a Bail Bondswoman on an important case._

Cramming into the subway was not Emma's favorite thing to do. She liked her personal space. But considering it was the cheapest and quickest way to get to work in the mornings, she took it.

Her usual morning routine didn't take her down this route of the subway, but as a bail bondswoman, sometimes work took her to different places in and out the city. Today she was supposed to track down a guy somewhere on Wall Street that had been caught embezzling money from a large accounting firm. His dad owns the firm, and had hired his son in a very high-ranking position once he graduated from some Ivy League school. A school that, apparently, he had gotten his father to pay his way into. Once he found out what his son did he basically disowned him. It was a big and challenging case for her, this guy had his bail set very high. Emma had heard as well, that this guy was very good at getting around the law.

Emma got in the subway car around Park Slope and sat down to enjoy the coffee and newspaper she picked up on the way to the train.

She saw a man walk in the subway after she had already sat down. He had dark hair and was dressed in a very nice suit, with his hair pushed back perfectly and just a tiny amount of ginger colored scruff on his face. Not too much, but enough that he could still look professional. He was a handsome man, probably a Wall Street executive or something along those lines. Hopefully he was not someone with any connection to the guy she was supposed to track down today, because this extremely handsome man had just sat down right beside her. She ignored it, however, and went back to her newspaper and coffee.

When she looked up from her newspaper after a few minutes, she saw that the man in the business suit looked down right as she looked up. Was he staring at her? He didn't look like a creep, but it's a New York City subway, you never know. Would she really mind all that much if he was? Emma scolded herself at the thought.

As the subway shook its way through the underground tunnel from Brooklyn to Wall Street, The businessman had seemed to have steadily gained an interest in her newspaper. She didn't need some potential creep all in her personal space that she so much valued, even if that potential creep had the best jawline she had seen in ages, so she looked up at him and, much to his surprise, confronted him.

"Can I help you?" She said almost angrily.

"Oh sorry, I forgot my paper on the way here, guess I shouldn't be trying to read yours. Real shame about that Malaysian Airlines plane, huh?"

His accent was wrapped in the most beautifully smooth sounding voice she had ever heard. As she sat there somewhat dumbfounded by his gorgeous voice and accent, she locked eyes with him, and his were the most striking blue she had ever seen. It was almost too good to be true, so in true Emma form, she assumed it must be, and that something must be wrong with him. Nobody is that attractive without a flaw.

As she was reeling over his accent, trying to think of something coherent to say back to him, the subway halted to a stop and Emma lost her balance completely. Her coffee flew out of her hand and spilled all over his lap.

"Oh my god! I am so sorry!"

He made a face of intense pain and stood up rather quickly, seeing as he was in so much pain, and also that this was the Wall Street stop, which she assumed he would be getting out at.

"It's quite alright love, accidents happen." The words he said didn't exactly match the level of pain that his face put out for her to see.

"Let me help you!" She said as she followed him off the subway and towards the exit. She almost regretted saying it as soon as she did, thinking of the implications of taking coffee off this stranger's pants.

"And how exactly do you plan on doing that?" Emma detected a hint of sexual innuendo in his voice, but his words were for the most part, sincere. At least that's what her internal lie detector told her.

"There's a Starbucks right around the corner, we can get some napkins and I'll help clean your pants off." Once again, she was not feeling so sure about this decision. However, she felt terrible about getting coffee on his suit, especially one as nice as that.

"If you insist, love" he said with a slight smirk at the idea of this beautiful woman helping him clean off his pants.

"My name isn't 'love'," she said whilst making air quotes around the word love "it's Emma."

"Pleased to meet you Emma, I'm Killian, Killian Jones." He said with a swagger, extending a hand out for her to shake.

Once Emma and Killian got the napkins from the nearby Starbucks, they went in the bathroom as to not make a scene of things in the middle of the coffee shop.

"Take off your pants." She really should have thought that one through first.

"Wow, I barley got your name and you're already begging for it" Emma rolled her eyes at his comment as he unbuckled his pants.

"I'm not making a pass at you, I cant clean your pants while they're still on you."

"Oh, I bet to differ, darling" he said with a raised eyebrow and smug grin as he handed his pants to her, earning another eye roll from Emma.

As she scrubbed at his pants with the napkins, she thought she might try to make sure he wasn't a total creep (although the innuendos weren't doing much to help his case) and ask him some questions about himself. She also thought she must have lost her mind standing here with a complete stranger while he wasn't even wearing any pants.

Trying to get her mind, and her eyes, off the no pants part of that, Emma asked, "So what do you do? Big executive job here on Wall Street?"

"What gave it away?"

"The suit looks pretty expensive, you have a nice watch on, nice shoes too, I just assumed I guess." Killian nodded his head a bit as if to tell her she wasn't wrong for assuming so.

"Perks of the job I guess. What about you, sweetheart, what do you do?" He was very generous with the sweet nicknames, even to a stranger. But she had to admit they sounded heavenly rolling off his tongue.

"I'm a Bail Bondswoman" she replied simply.

"What kind of case, may I ask, brought you to Wall Street?"

Emma thought briefly before answering him. Should she really be telling this guy she just met about her case? What if he was one of the guys that helped this perp she was looking for get around the law? It was only fair however, since they seemed to be sharing information about themselves.

"Why should I tell you?" She asked anyways, just to be safe.

"Leap of faith for the stranger you just met who is just trying to make some small talk, maybe. Not everyone you meet on the subway is a creep. Although I'm sure it's a very high possibility."

Something about him instinctively made Emma want to trust him, so she took a shot at it, still not giving too much away. "I'm looking for a business executive ironically enough."

"Fingers crossed it's not me." He said jokingly.

"Are you skipping bail?" She asked him, but only half jokingly.

"Haven't gotten in trouble with the law since college, thank you very much, and I hope not to anytime soon after just getting promoted at work. I'm glad to know you think I look like a troublemaker though." He said all with his smug grin plastered onto his face. Seriously, was that the only face he made?

She dared to look over at him again in the cramped bathroom, standing there with only his boxer-briefs on, and boy was he a sight. She wondered for a moment what kind of trouble he got into in college. Was it something serious? She doubted so. He was probably just a rowdy frat guy with a few too many speeding tickets and MIP's. She looked away quickly so he wouldn't see her staring.

"Here's your pants, I think I got most of the coffee stain out."

"I deeply appreciate your help, love. If you ever want to get some coffee with me, instead of on me," Killian said, as he put his pants back on. "Give me a call." He handed her his business card, winked at her, picked up his briefcase and walked out of the bathroom.

Once Killian had left the cramped stall, Emma looked down at the card he had just placed in her hand to examine it.

_Killian Jones_

_CFO_

_Gold Enterprises_

_Phone: 212-580-5555_

_Fax: 212-581-5555_

Gold Enterprises? Wasn't that the corporation the guy that she was looking for embezzled from? And this guy was CFO? Why was he riding on the subway?

An extremely handsome (and probably filthy rich) man had just asked her on what seemed like a coffee date that she was, much to her own surprise, considering. Something to think through, but first she had to get out of this bathroom.

Emma walked back into to the coffee shop and sat down at a vacant table to pull out her tablet and open up the files she had for this case. She should probably have studied these more, anyways.

It _was_ Gold Enterprises. The guy she was looking for was the former CFO, Neal Cassidy.


	2. Chapter 2

Well, shit. Killian was presumably the person who had taken this 'Neal' guys place. Killian had also just asked her on a date, and she was up until this very moment really considering it. Now she was just wondering if she should talk to this guy ever again. There was a chance however that Killian and Neal didn't know one another, and that he was maybe hired from someplace else. They could be friends, and that is a major problem. Or is it? If Killian knew Neal at all, would it really be a problem?

Emma thought on the matter for a few hours and she decided to use this situation to her advantage whatever way it came out. At the very least she'd be having coffee with a man who's eyes looked like the color in them was imported directly from a Caribbean beach. Her decision made, she decided to text him, hoping the number on his card wasn't an office phone.

_Hey. It's Emma, the coffee girl. I was thinking maybe I could take you up on your offer? _

A few minutes passed before she got a reply. She waited somewhat nervously but assumed he was probably in a meeting or something like that.

**I'd be happy to. Tomorrow around noon? The same Starbucks?**

Well that was easy. Emma checked the calendar on her tablet quickly to see what she had going on tomorrow. To her surprise and somewhat delight, she was free.

_Sure, I'm free then._

**Alright, it's a date. ;)**

She could feel his smug grin radiating off his words.

* * *

Emma was very intrigued by the man sitting across from her and how easy it was for her to talk to him. He had swaggered in a few minutes before looking as sexy as ever in his white collared shirt with the sleeves rolled up and black slacks.

She knows she shouldn't have, and that it could have ruined her case, but she told him about Neal, and how she hoped it was just a coincidence that they met. She took a leap of faith with this almost stranger because for some reason she trusted him. And trusting him this easily scared her for so many reasons.

"That bastard gave the whole company a bad name in my opinion. His dad couldn't see what a terrible job he did. A lot of the guys at work were chummy with him. To my knowledge they still are. They probably did it to get in his father's good graces since he owns the company. Not sure why they still would be though. I could never stand him though. He was an entitled brat and never did anything; he always dumped all his work on me. I've basically been doing his job since I started there."

"So I'm guessing you don't know much about where he is right now, do you?"

"I'm afraid I don't, love. If I hear anything I'll be more than willing to help you out."

She knew she should wonder if he was telling the truth or not. Honestly, she had just met him yesterday. However, she trusted this guy inherently. She wanted to tell him everything, and not just about the case. She wanted to tell him about her life, and why she moved to New York, and she wanted him to comfort her about it all. On top of that she wanted to know every little thing about him, and comfort him right back. She was terrified.

They locked eyes, and a moment passed between them. It was almost like she knew Killian felt the same way she did right now.

"I hope gathering intel on that ass wasn't the only reason you contacted me, lass."

A tiny smile crept up on the corner of Emma's mouth. "It wasn't."

They talked for a little longer just getting to know each other, things that you usually would talk about when you were getting to know someone, like where they were from and where they went to school. Was this a date though? He had called it one in her text, but he was very flirty. She tried not to think too much into it.

"What was your last name, lass? I never did catch it."

"Nolan. Emma Nolan."

Emma was surprised to find out that they had both gone to Brown and graduated within a few semesters of each other. She was not so surprised to find out that they ran in very different circles. He was a party boy, she was more of a book nerd.

"Hey, I wasn't that bad! I've grown up a good bit since then." He argued when she expressed her distaste at his college antics. She knew he probably meant nothing by it, but the way he said it was almost sinful. She was too attracted to this guy for her own good. This is strictly business, she kept telling herself. It wasn't convincing, but she kept saying it to herself anyways.

* * *

This woman was really something else, Killian thought to himself. He wouldn't exactly call himself a player, but he had dated a lot of girls, and none of them had gotten to him quite like Ms. Emma Nolan had.

All week he had been sending her cute messages. It started out with some info on Neal he had heard at work, then eventually they were more flirtatious. After about a week of that, Killian had finally convinced Emma to go on a date with him. She was a hard nut to crack, though. She never did seem inclined to accept his flirtatious advances. He considered her acceptance to the date a stroke of luck.

Not that Killian would ever admit to it, but he had spent an embarrassing amount of time getting ready for the date. He was practically acting like a nervous teenager standing outside the restaurant waiting for her, twiddling his thumbs and rocking on his heels. As much as she got to him, he tried his damndest to act like his typical smooth self when he saw her get out of the cab and walk towards him. Bloody hell, was she a sight. She was wearing a skin tight leather dress and extremely high heels, the kind he always wondered how women could walk in. Killian was sure his eyes were anywhere but where they should be right now, and he was barley even sorry.

"Hi." Emma said, giving him a small smile. Killian was momentarily thankful for the fact that Emma apparently didn't notice his obvious ogling.

"Hey beautiful." he said with a typical snarky grin, trying to play it cool with a slick compliment.

* * *

"That's how I ended up with this scar on my cheek." Killian almost looked nervous, Emma had observed. She thought it was odd for a guy who was so attractive and seemingly so smooth. They had talked about a lot during their date, but Emma tried very hard not to tell him too much, as much as she wanted to.

After their date Killian had insisted on taking Emma to his favorite spot in central park, the Bow Bridge. It had taken a while for them to get there, and Emma's feet were practically crying. Eventually they had gotten there, and they stood there next to each other for a minute in dangerously close proximity that made Emma feel anything but calm. Looking out at the water below the bridge, Killian tried to break the silence with what seemed like the first thing that came to his mind.

"Pretty, huh?" It was almost awkward sounding, but Emma found it cute.

"Honestly…this water is kind of gross."

Killian looked at Emma and burst out laughing.

The man had the most infectious laugh she had ever heard. "What? What did I do? What's so funny?" Emma said, starting to laugh and smile just because Killian was.

"You're just…" Killian inched closer to Emma "adorable."

He reached out his hand to caress the side of her face, and closed the space between them. For a second, Emma felt warm, and happy. Then immediately afterwards she felt fear. Abruptly, she broke the kiss. "I can't I just…I'm sorry."

Killian stood there extremely confused. "What? Why? I thought this was going well?" The look on his face was almost that of a sad puppy. It made Emma feel terrible, but she couldn't help it. Letting someone in again after what had happened several months before was too scary.

Emma grabbed her stilettos quickly by the heels.

Killian let out an exasperated sigh. "Emma, what are you doing?"

"It's too soon." She said, then mumbled out a quick apology.

"Too soon for what, love?" He said with sympathy, but it was too late, she was in fight or flight mode, and she took off running.

"Emma! Wait!"


	3. Chapter 3

_"I can't do this anymore, August"_

The words still resonated in her head like they were said just yesterday. But it hadn't been just yesterday; it had been 6 months ago. 6 months since she decided she couldn't be under the thumb of this man anymore. The breaking point was 3 months after, when he got a new girlfriend. As much as it hurt that he could move on from a 2-year relationship in 3 months, she couldn't deny this girl was pretty, even though all her friends tried to convince her otherwise. But it had become too much, so she took her things and packed and moved to New York to move in with her best friend Ruby from college, because she simply _could not_ be in the same place that he was in, the same apartment complex, running into him day after day.

_Her engagement ring made a loud thump when she dropped it in on the box of his things she just placed on his doorstep. She didn't need it anymore._

Ruby told her she was nuts and that she should have pawned the ring. _"That's extra money to have when you get to the city."_ However, Pawning the ring wasn't final enough. She needed to take it all, everything she had ever gotten from him, and put it back in the hands that had given it to her in the first place. The necklace he got her on their first Christmas together, all his old high school and college t-shirts she had swiped from his drawers, slowly but surely. The engagement ring he had given to her a year into their relationship was the last bit of it. She remembered packing it all up, pain in every last bit of it, even in the stitches of the fabric of every t-shirt.

Every time the hurt swooped in, Emma tried to remind herself of all the bad things that he had done to her, and all of the reasons that she ended it. It was emotionally abusive, and she knew it, but she continually tried to convince herself otherwise. Eventually Ruby had helped her wise up. It hurt, but sitting here 6 months later, Emma tried to shake off the memories of all the things he did to her. She tried to dive into her work. But not talking to Killian had put a speed bump in the _tremendous_ progress she had been making with her case.

_Killian_. Ugh, Killian. She almost couldn't bring herself to think about how terrible she felt about running off last week. She felt like she had led him on to think she was ready for something like that when she really wasn't. Was she though? Why else did she let him in like she had?

He had been texting her all week, trying to understand why she had just run off on him.

She hadn't looked at her phone all morning, instead focusing on trying to figure out how to move on from her former pain. She pulled it out to see a see a message from Killian.

**Emma, please talk to me. I miss you.**

He _missed _her? Now there was a concept she couldn't comprehend. It actually frightened her a bit. She decided to at least give him an explanation. He deserved at least that much, if she hadn't scared him off already.

Maybe she did know how to move on from the pain of her past, after all. She was just too scared to let her walls down. Maybe it had been long enough though. Constantly playing it all back in her memory really took a toll on her. What was it going to do, besides bring her more pain? She couldn't live in the past anymore. It was as if all of a sudden she just had this epiphany, and she broke. She had to move on, and do what Killian had asked her to do when they met, _take a leap of faith_.

She answered back:

**_Coffee, the usual spot? 4?_**

She knew it had been a week since she had spoken to him, and hours since he had sent her that last message, but she held out hope that it wouldn't be too long. After all, he never stopped trying to get ahold of her this past week. Almost instantaneously her phone had sprung to life with an answer from him.

**Of course, I'd love to.**

* * *

Killian had been sitting in his apartment all day, watching movies on Netflix and waiting and hoping that today would be the day that she would get back to him finally. Now he was meticulously playing with his hair, trying to make it look just right for their coffee date. Was it a date? _Maybe she's just going to tell me I'm too much._ He quickly pushed the thought out of his mind.

As he walked to the coffee shop from his apartment, his mind consumed him with thoughts of Emma. Was he…nervous? He hadn't been nervous in years. Not since high school had he ever let a woman get to him like she did.

This woman really had a hold on him, as much as he hated to admit it. He liked her, so, so much. Her presence was intoxicating, and he wanted so badly to get to know her more, get under her skin, find out all her secrets, and what made her…well…_her_. But how could he, if she was going to run off like that whenever they were starting to gain some footing?

As he opened the door to the coffee shop, he saw Emma sitting at a table with 2 coffees, waiting. He smiled a bit when he realized that she had remembered what he usually ordered, and had gotten it for him. She looked up and smiled softly at him, it was a smile tinged with regret. He hoped it wasn't for something she was about to do.

* * *

Killian was pleasantly surprised. A little shocked, even. Emma wasn't pushing him away; she was trying to bring him closer. She wanted to tell him why, and she was hoping he would understand. He did understand, a considerable amount more than she probably thought. After the events of last weekend, he couldn't imagine what had provoked her to change her mind like this. He had no complaints, however.

"He really, really got to me you know? And as many bad things as he did to me, I could never stop trying to convince myself that he was it, he was who I was supposed to be with. When I first met him, we were so young and stupid. He was on the football team at brown and I thought he was _so_ cool for it. I was amazed someone like him would ever be interested in someone like me, the bookworm nerd girl who spent most of her weekends staying in and reading or something like that." For a moment there was a light nostalgia in Emma's face, until she remembered it all. She remembered just who she was talking about, and Killian guessed, who this August fellow had changed into. "He showed his true colors soon enough…but anyways, that's why I ran off. 6 months just didn't seem long enough to move on."

Killian moved his hand to softly place it over hers, and to his surprise, she didn't move away, or flinch; she just kept talking and opening this part of herself up to him.

"Didn't? Have you changed your mind, love?" Almost unknowingly, Killian bit down on his lip a little bit, afraid of her answer.

Emma paused for a long minute.

"Ya…I think I might be starting to. I'm tired of living in the past." She smiled. And so did Killian, because it was the most beautiful thing in the world in this moment.

"Those walls of yours, Emma…I understand them. I've had them up before." Killian paused for a second to drop his head down and tried to not let the memories hit him, now was not the time. Right now, he was here for Emma, and to soothe her worries.

He picked his head up and tried to bring himself back to the innuendo-heavy businessman who didn't let those things get to him. "But I will have you know, if you don't want to let them down just yet…I love a challenge."

* * *

**A/N: Thanks to the people that reviewed! It makes me really happy to know you guys enjoy reading this!**

**Also, i know this chapter and the last doesn't mention much about Emma's case, but if everything goes as planned, Emma and Killian will make some major headway with that in the next chapter or two. I just planned this one to be more about them than the case.**


End file.
